I am a master in India

Chapter 49 Do you have a friend like this?

“Lonely Planet?”

"The world's most authoritative travel guide!"

Singh and Hari looked at each other in bewilderment. They often traveled abroad on public funds, but rarely bothered to study any guides.

They only stay in five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants. They don’t care about the cost at all because they can get it reimbursed in the end anyway.

"Is this magazine very famous?" Singer touched the cover and found that the printing quality was very good.

"Of course! Almost every foreigner who comes to India has a copy of Lonely Planet. India is so huge, without such a guide, they have no idea where to go."

Bah, there are obviously too many scammers in India, and foreigners are afraid of being cheated, so they only dare to go to places recommended by magazines.

Of course Ron couldn't be so direct, so he embellished it a little with artistic techniques.

As a superpower, it is normal for ordinary people from a small country to feel lost when they come to India, a country with vast land and abundant resources.

Singh and Harry nodded repeatedly after hearing this. In the Ganges.

"Your company is advertising on it?" Singer wanted to find keywords about his company on the cover.

"No, Lonely Planet refuses any advertising. All information comes from the on-site visits of travel journalists. It is because of its authenticity and reliability that it is welcomed by all backpackers."

Ron flipped over the magazine's title page, scrolled down three lines, and found the column for the best hospitality company.

"Look, my company is right here! Page one! Anyone who buys the magazine can see it."

"Are you sure this isn't an advertisement? They only wrote your company name, but no introduction."

"At the back," Ron gestured for him to flip the page. "The content on the first page is very practical and necessary to be presented to the reader first. Simply put, it has the highest priority."

Sure enough, Singh saw a detailed introduction to the Mumbai Tourism Information Company at the back, which was right after the official Indian Tourism Bureau.

Compared with the few sentences in the previous article, the author seems to have a greater preference for Ron's company, and the words of praise are obvious.

This surprised Singh a little, as he had the impression that foreigners were more willing to trust Indian officials.

"You're doing great, but is this magazine really distributed worldwide?"

"Every issue sells at least 60 copies! The people who subscribe to it are all foreigners, and they are also potential tourists to Mumbai."

This number far exceeded Singer's expectations. He originally thought it would be hundreds of thousands of copies.

As the director of Air India's executive office at Mumbai airport, he has the power to decide which shops can move into the airport's commercial area.

Both fame and quality are indispensable. In a sense, these stores also represent the style of Mumbai.

Singer had no impression of Ron's company, but this magazine was a good reference material and he could easily check whether it was authoritative or not.

"Mr. Soul, I think you could submit an application for your company to me."

"No problem, we can get it done in one day. I've also brought the company's basic materials."

Ron was well aware of the efficiency of the Indian government, so he had made sufficient preparations before coming.

Accountant Harus once recounted how his former employer spent three months just submitting documents to apply for a license.

At first, he followed the procedures, but the grassroots staff found all kinds of problems, such as the seal was not placed in the right place, the handwriting was not clear...

After paying a bribe, the other party finally accepted the application. But this is not the end. Accepting the application does not mean that the application will be approved.

The clerk only checked the page he was responsible for. There were dozens of other pages that needed to be reviewed by different people, but he just didn't tell you.

To put it bluntly, if you don't give the bribe right away, the clerk will think you are deliberately wasting his time.

Is it possible to get things done in India without paying? That's simply unimaginable.

“Oh, and since many foreigners want to exchange dollars into rupees with us, can I apply for this business?”

Ron's pretentious question seemed to have grabbed Singer and Harry's hearts, and their eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

"Dollar?" Harry, with his Indian beard, licked his lips. "Yes, you know, I receive a lot of foreigners here every day, a lot~" Ron gave them a look that said, "You know what I mean."

"Well, I have a friend..." The fat and big-eared Harry shook his neck, "He's a businessman and has a lot of business in the United States.

Well, how should I put it…he had a cash flow problem exchanging rupees for dollars. Yeah, that’s it.”

"I guess that cash should be converted into US dollars to make the flow smoother?"

"Yes," Harry smiled, "I'm glad you understand my friend's problem."

“How serious is the backlog situation?”

"Oh! I think about ten thousand dollars will get through."

"1:40, what do you think of this exchange rate?"

"Very good, very good!" Harry grabbed Ron's elbow with a beaming look on his face. Their brotherly relationship became even better.

This price was fair; the price on the black market would be even higher. As far as Ron knew, Hardhan usually sold US dollars to customers at a rate of more than 1.5 times.

That is to say, his customers have to use 47 rupees to exchange 1 US dollar from him, but Ron only charges 40 rupees.

Indian officials have a large amount of black money in their hands, which cannot be recorded in their accounts. Converting it into US dollars is the best way to launder the money.

And Ron was able to provide them with such help, and the process was seamless.

"So Mr. Singer, do you have such a friend?" Ron asked considerately.

"Uh... well... maybe we can have it." Singer touched his nose uncomfortably, "But getting an official license to exchange foreign currency is quite troublesome."

"I understand it's not important. The tourist reception business is the company's focus."

"Well, that's great." He picked up the documents on the table. "You don't need to fill out the application form. Air India will complete the paperwork for you. When do you plan to open the airport reception?"

"Oh!" Ron was surprised by India's efficiency. "The sooner the better. The tourist season is coming soon."

"Then come see me tomorrow, and I'll go back and calculate... No, I'm asking my friend how much US dollars he needs for working capital."

"No problem, I'll reserve the quota."

After receiving a satisfactory answer, Singh stood up with a smile and said, "We can't be careless about receiving foreigners. I have to go back and make arrangements as soon as possible."

"Thank you very much, you are a conscientious officer."

The two sides shook hands and politely said goodbye. The other person's blue headscarf was quite conspicuous in the restaurant, and occasionally people who knew him would walk over and say hello respectfully.

Tsk, this deal was really not easy to make.

Ron first used his own experience to gain sympathy, then used "Lonely Planet" to raise the company's status, and finally used interests as the finishing blow.

After a series of combined efforts, the Mumbai Tourism Information Company finally got the airport pass.

There is no way. It is only 92 and Indian officials have ridiculous power.

Before 91, companies like Tata needed permission from Indian officials if they wanted to increase their investment in a certain area, even if the amount was small.

They tell Tata what to produce, when to produce it, and where to produce it.

If Tata is like this, what about Ron, a little minion with skinny arms and legs?

Before coming, he was prepared to be interrogated and could not have any complaints, because the other party could block his way with just one word.

Fortunately, the new government cabinet is already implementing reforms, and the environment will only become more relaxed in the future.

"By the way, Harry, let's talk about the last time my friend bought medicine."

Ron looked at the cheerful Harry brother again. Since all the benefits have been given, he should make the best use of them.

(End of this chapter)